NSF funds cancer detection research

A multi-institutional research team has received a $480,000 National Science Foundation grant to build an inexpensive device that uses nanotechnology and a simple urine test to detect the most miniscule amount of bladder cancer cells in a patient, Medical Design Technology, Phys.org and Nanowerk.com reported.

Study asks why there aren't more women columnists

Poynter.org, Editor & Publisher, Phys.org and e! Science News reported on a study by Dustin Harp, a UT Arlignton assistant professor of communication, that found that despite decades of progress by women in the nation's newsrooms, female writers are still a rarity on the opinion-editorial pages that help drive important public discourse. The study examined 10 major newspapers in the U.S. and found that the majority of op-ed columnists are white men. The president of the American Society of News Editors Board of Directors called the study a “call to action for America’s editors” to make every effort to ensure that the demographics of their newsrooms reflect the makeup of their communities.

Sociology professor says online quizzes fill need for self-acceptance

Dell Inc.'s news website, Tech Page One, quoted Ben Agger, sociology professor and director of the Center for Theory at UT Arlington, in a piece about BuzzFeed’s viral quizzes that have become popular with millions of social network users. Questions like “What state do you actually belong in?” and “What mystical creature are you?” can play a major role in understanding user preferences, and they can inform analytics in a significant way. Taking a quiz can also “fulfill our need for self-acceptance,” Agger said.

Op-ed criticizes carbon emissions rules

The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel published an op-ed by Roger Meiners, professor and chair of the UT Arlington Department of Economics, criticizing rules on carbon emissions. Meiners wrote: “Labor market participation is 5 percent lower than during the recession. Measured unemployment is down only because many have given up hope of finding a job. College graduates with degrees supposed to guarantee good jobs, such as engineering, no longer matter as much... In the midst of this sluggishness, it is puzzling that the Obama administration is leading a war on coal and other fossil fuels that generate the vast majority of our energy.” The McClatchy-Tribune News Service originally published the piece.

UTA makes top list for transfer students

U.S. News.com reported that UT Arlington tops the magazine’s Short List of 10 colleges with the most new transfer students. Across the country, 13 percent of students who started at four-year public universities ended up finishing their degrees at a different school. The ranking did not take into account students who move from two-year to four-schools, which would make the figure much higher.

Herpetologist honored at conference

The Fort Worth Star-Telegram’s Notable and quotable mentioned Jonathan Campbell, chairman of the UT Arlington Department of Biology, who is known for his research on venomous snakes. He was recently honored by herpetology experts at a conference called Biology of the Pitvipers 2. Campbell is co-author of two seminal books on pit vipers — The Venomous Reptiles of Latin America and The Venomous Reptiles of the Western Hemisphere — and has published more than 150 scientific articles. His work has described more than 100 new species, some of which were on the brink of becoming extinct without ever being known.

FAA approves South Texas testing site

The Federal Aviation Administration has given formal approval for an unmanned aircraft testing site near Corpus Christi, the Dallas Business Journal and other media reported. Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi’s Lone Star Unmanned Aircraft Systems Center of Excellence & Innovation has met all federal requirements to begin full operations as a test site, becoming one of only six across the nation. LSUASC is a consortium of 16 research institutions and private-sector service companies including The University of Texas at Arlington Research Institute.

City branding video features University

The City of Arlington and the Arlington Convention & Visitors Bureau announced the City’s new official brand “Arlington: The American Dream City,” MyArlingtonTX.com reported. Officially launching today, the brand marks the first time that the City and the CVB have aligned in developing an identity for Arlington. A promotional video on the site prominently features images of the UT Arlington campus and interviews with UT Arlington electrical engineers J.-C. Chiao and Smitha Rao. Fort Worth Star-Telegram columnist Bud Kennedy noted that the video highlights the spiraling growth of UT Arlington.

Movin' Mavs help out

The Fort Hood Herald reported on the Paralympic Experience hosted at Fort Hood June 20. Children were given the opportunity to test out adapted versions of basketball, volleyball, rock climbing, cycling and tennis. Two wheelchair basketball teams, the Harker Heights Hustlers and The University of Texas at Arlington’s Movin’ Mavs, assisted kids with the adapted equipment and techniques.